The invention relates to a control unit for controlling electrical apparatus, for example, an electromechanical device such as a solenoid operated fluid control valve. While the control unit is capable of a wide variety of uses it is seen to good effect in the control of a number of valves supplying a fluid such as water to a tap, shower unit, toilet or any combination; or the like. Thus, more particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a toilet facility with a control unit and valves arranged for supplying water to respective items of sanitary ware; for example, a shower, wash basin and water closet (WC) or several showers (say).
Electrically controlled water valves have utility in plumbing installations and toilet facilities where water saving is particularly important, where misuse is likely, or simply for safety and ease of use, say in a toilet facility intended for use by an elderly or disabled person.
Electrical battery powered valves are preferred for safety and ease of installation.
European Patent No. EP 0574372 A1 discloses control apparatus comprising a plurality of fluid control valves, respective solenoid actuators coupled to the valves and a controller for supplying control signals to the valves.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided control apparatus comprising a plurality of fluid control valves respective solenoid actuators coupled to the valves and a controller for supplying control signals to the valves, characterised in that each solenoid actuator is a magnetic bistable solenoid actuator (100FIG. 5) for opening and closing the respective valve (5), the actuator comprising an armature movable (101) between two positions corresponding to the open and closed states of the valve and electromechanical drive means (102, 103) for being driven by respective electrical drive pulses to move the armature between said positions; the armature then remaining in the position to which it is moved; the apparatus including:
for each actuator respective input signal supply means (22) for controlling the actuators and output signal forming means (10, 50, 60, 70) connected to the actuator and operable for supplying said respective electrical drive pulses;
micro processor-based control circuit means common to actuators, the corresponding input signal forming means and the corresponding output signal forming means for controlling the valves independently one from another;
local power supply means, for example dry cell battery means (7), connected to said control circuit means and said output signal forming means and operable for supplying the power for driving the control apparatus and said pulses.
The apparatus to be described conserves power by using bistable actuators and providing a simple controller that independently controls respective input switch/output drive actuator circuits.
The control circuit means may comprise a microcontroller connected to said output signal forming means; and memory means for storing a programmed and data for causing the microcontroller to respond to said input signal supply means for independently controlling said valves. The input signal supply means may comprise one or more control switches for each control device.
Advantageously the control apparatus comprises manually operable switch means connected to the control circuit means for causing any of said valves to open for a selected one of two or more different preset time intervals.
The switch means may comprise a first switch operable via the control means for causing a respective valve to open for a first preset time interval and a second switch operable via the control means for causing that valve to open for a relatively much shorter second preset time interval.
Advantageously the control circuit means permits the valve to be opened for said second preset time interval only a predetermined number of times following the opening of the valve for said first preset time interval.
When any valve is open, the respective second switch may become operable via the control circuit means for closing that valve.
Preferably, the control circuit means is responsive to the switch means for becoming operable to set said device into a predetermined control state and for recording a value representative of a time interval during which the valve is in said state, and the control circuit then becoming operable in response to said switch means for setting said valve into said predetermined control state for a time equal to two or more times said time interval.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus comprising a plurality of items of sanitary ware, corresponding water control valves connected to the items, respective solenoid actuators coupled to the valves and a controller connected to the actuators, characterised in that each solenoid actuator is a magnetic bistable solenoid actuator for opening and closing the respective valve, and the facility comprising for each valve, respective switch means connected to said control circuit for controlling that valve independently from the other valves; and output signal means (10, 50, 60, 70) for driving the respective actuators;
a single microprocessor-based control circuit connected to the water control valves for responding to the switch means to control the actuators.
a dry cell battery power supply means coupled to the control circuit for supplying power to operate the control circuit and, via the control circuit, energising said control valves.
Each switch means may comprise two or more switches for causing the respective valve to open for respective predetermined time intervals.
According to yet another aspect of the invention there is provided a control unit arranged to control the opening and closing of at least two valves such as latching solenoid valves to transfer fluid to respective outlets from a common source or separate sources of said fluid, the control unit comprising:
one or more manually operable switches for each valve to initiate opening and dosing of the valve;
timing means arranged to control the time period for which each valve is open;
override means to cut short the predetermined time period;
a top up/off switch arranged to open one or more valves for a limited number of time cycles and, as a secondary function, for closing said valves if they are open;
lock-out switch means operable for closing the valves for predetermined intervals;
a lock out key switch to close the valves; and
a dry cell battery power source to provide power for the control unit and, via the control unit, for the valves.
Preferably the unit includes temperature control means.
Preferably the control unit comprises two channels each to control a respective valve, each channel having a number of switch inputs, some of these inputs can be time programmed while another of which is enabled only when one of the other inputs is enabled. This other input is arranged to override the others when the flow valve is open or to augment the flow valve if at the time of energisation the valve is shut.
One or more auxiliary channels may be present and will then be arranged to have a simple on/off switch function.
By splitting the power load into a number of switches each of which is energised according to the circumstances the power required is reduced and a single dry cell (or a few) can be used for a plurality of valves.
The design of the device to be described is such that it can be programmed to give various ways of operating and to set up different chosen time values and such.